my best friend's girl
by kinselllas
Summary: nate and blair are getting married. dan does not approve.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **_So a lot of people asked for a DB NYU fic and while I'm still dreaming of writing a friends with benefits story about NYU, I haven't gotten around to it yet. This is sort of an NYU fic aside from the fact that Blair gets to fulfill her dream of going to Yale. Chuck does not exist in this story (YAY) and I'm pretty sure Serena will only be mentioned a few times. Dan and Blair don't know each other. _

"You don't think it's weird that we've been roommates for three years and I've never met your fiance?" Dan picks up an oddly shaped vase, reminds him of a bong Nate used to own, and sets it on the kitchen window sill. The bluish green glass reflects the sunlight and sends a set of rays against the wall.

Nate laughs, examining the wine glasses carefully. "I told you, she was at Yale and we only saw each other on holidays with family. I think her exact words were _'I don't have time to meet your pretentious friends, Nate.'" _His inflection is feminine, mocking.

"I'm not pretentious," Dan says defensively and Nate just shakes his head, laughing to himself. They arrange the pillows on the couch and Dan realizes just how particular Nate's fiance's taste is. She seems to be someone who thrives on control, a trait he personally finds quite off-putting in women.

"Hey," Nate approaches him, nudging his side gently. "Thanks for being so cool with Blair staying here for a couple months. As soon as our new apartment is renovated we'll be out of here."

Although he would never admit it, Dan wasn't ready to see Nate move out. They had lived together for over three years now and he had forgotten what it was like to not have his best friend right down the hallway from him. Nate's not the type of guy Dan thought he'd ever connect with, but after they met playing intramural lacrosse freshman year, they were inseparable. When Nate asked his girlfriend of five years to marry him in the fall, Dan couldn't help the pang of disappointment that shot through him when he realized they wouldn't be living together anymore. This was followed by a feeling of relief when Nate asked if he and Blair could finish out the lease until their apartment was renovated fully.

"I'm gonna pick up some champagne so we can celebrate our new roommate. Can you let Blair in if she buzzes?"

Dan nods, opening up a box of china and unpacking it carefully. Why Blair thought it'd be a good idea to let two college guys use fine china was beyond him. Fifteen minutes go by and Nate still isn't back, so when the buzzer goes off, Dan opens the main door and turns the dead bolt.

She is as WASPy as they come. She wears a short navy skirt and an ivory chiffon blouse, her tights are black and lace patterned, with nude heels on her feet. An apple red headband pushes back her long brown waves and matches her shiny red lips. She's not who he would picture for Nate, but coming from a political family, it makes sense. She looks like she stepped out of a J. Crew catalog, so right for Nate and so wrong for him at the same time.

"You must be Blair," Dan offers her a hand, "I'm Dan. Dan Humphrey."

She takes his hand distractedly, glancing at her phone. "Blair," She looks up at him, "Can you help me with my bags? I would've asked the doorman, but…"

"We don't have one," he says, and Blair nods. Dan carries up suitcase after suitcase and he had no idea it was possible for one woman to own so many clothes, not to mention all the shit that's hanging up in the backseat. He's more than grateful when he gets back up to the apartment and Nate's there with beers and take out. Nate presses a gentle kiss to Blair's cheek and cracks open a couple bottles.

"How was Paris?"

Blair takes a sip of wine, smiling dreamily. "Amazing, as always."

"You were in Paris for the holidays?" Dan asks, glancing up from his plate of food.

She nods, "I'm fortunate enough to have a father who lives in the most beautiful city in the world."

Dan snorts a laugh and sips his beer, "Clearly you've never been to Prague."

"Have you?" Her head tilts slightly and Nate's words play through Dan's head repeatedly, _'I don't have time to meet your pretentious friends.'_

"I've seen pictures," he says quietly.

Blair shakes her head, amused.

Another glass of wine and the headband comes off, Blair runs a few fingers through her long waves. Dan thinks she has nice hair, and he wonders if it's weird to think that about his best friend's fiance. It's okay think her hair is nice, because it really is nice. She must get told she has nice hair a lot.

Sometimes Dan rambles inside his own head.

They decide to watch a movie, Blair's choice. She bends over to flip through their collection and Dan has to avert his eyes elsewhere, because some things are just _not _okay to think about his best friend's fiance.

"The only movie down there that belongs to me is the copy of _Breakfast at Tiffany's_ that _you _gave me when we were twelve," Nate tells her and Blair laughs, picking up _Bringing Up Baby_, one of Dan's personal favorites.

"I won't make you watch _Tiffany's_ again," she says, popping the DVD in.

Dan makes his way to the couch and plops down, "Thank you for that, especially because anyone who read the book knows that Audrey was a poor casting choice."

Blair turns to face him and her skirt swings slightly against her thighs, "Excuse me?"

"I'm just saying she doesn't fit the character," he shrugs, innocently enough, and focuses on the screen.

"You would know," she says sarcastically.

Dan opens his mouth to speak, to say that actually he would know, because he wrote a thirty-eight page paper on Capote's writing less than a year ago, but Nate sits down next to him and he swallows his argument.

As the movie starts, Blair curls into Nate's side and sighs contentedly. So this is how things will be now, in their apartment. Gone are the days of playing NBA '08 on Xbox, or watching crappy sitcoms before they go to bed. Now Nate has Blair and that realization makes Dan take a long gulp from his beer.

When the movie ends Blair yawns and says good night to the boys, making her way down the hallway to their bedroom. Once the door is shut and Dan is fairly certain she's asleep, he sets his beer down and turns to face Nate.

"So that's Blair," he says.

Nate nods, smiling. "That's Blair."

"She's not what I was expecting."

"What were you expecting?" Nate asks.

"I don't know, man. She just doesn't seem like your type."

Nate laughs quietly and gets up to grab another beer. "I have a type?"

"Well you really liked my friend Vanessa," he reasons, and Nate just shrugs in response, "Or there was that one girl we met, really bohemian looking with a weakness for double cheeseburgers."

"Jess?" Nate furrows his brow, "I guess she was cool, but at the end of the day Blair's the one I'm gonna marry."

Dan sighs deeply, not entirely sure why he cares so much about who Nate ends up with. He just doesn't feel right about it being Blair.

"Can you actually see yourself growing old with her? What do you guys even have to talk about besides money?" The words fall out of his mouth and Dan freezes.

Nate stands quickly, shutting his eyes as if to erase the words from his mind. "Dude, not cool. I know it's sort of weird having my girlfriend- fiance living with us now, but that's the way it's gonna be."

"Nate, listen I didn't mean to-"

"Stop," Nate cuts him off promptly, "I'm just going to pretend you didn't say anything and we'll forget about it."

But even when Nate goes to bed, Dan can't just forget about it. Something about Blair just irks him and he can't see Nate being happy for the rest of his life if he spends it with her.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **_I have never been to New York so those references are rarely accurate. Very DB heavy. Why do I even pretend Nate is in this story? He's just kinda floating around not being interesting (sorry Nate). Once the wedding plans start, the fun will really begin._

Dan wakes up one morning to find Blair fixing breakfast, scrambled eggs with green peppers and onions and it all smells better than he would admit to her but he gladly takes a plate and sits at the counter.

For the past couple weeks he had been trying to make Blair's life at the apartment less than tolerable. He "accidentally" dropped her bottle of chardonnay when they were going out, used all of her fancy raspberry body wash, and interrupted most of her dates with Nate by convincing him to have some guys' nights instead.

Every frustrated sigh was a new victory for Dan. Except she didn't seem phased by his behavior. She was always offering him a beer when he got home from class or borrowing him to watch a Hepburn movie (Katherine or Audrey) with her when Nate's out with friends. He almost felt sort of guilty for trying so hard to make her miserable.

Blair's hair is pulled back in a loose pony tail, but her outfit is articulately arranged, with pink and ivory lace shorts and a light floral cardigan for the crisp spring breeze. She's cute, admittedly. Her rose colored lips match the pink shadow rimming her eyes.

"So you write?" She asks politely, pouring him a cup of coffee.

"I'm not going to make a career out of it or anything, but I scribble here and there."

Blair nods. She piles the dishes into the sink and sits next to him, sighing. It hits Dan just how bored Blair must be, stuck at the apartment all day. He'd spent some time helping her apply to internships, but she hadn't heard back yet and he imagined Blair was the type of person that always needed to be doing _something_. She was spending a lot of days alone at the Met. Since she graduated a semester early, most of her high school friends were still at their respective colleges.

"Hey," he nudges her gently, "Have you been to Alexander's bookstore in Williamsburg?"

Blair snorts and shakes her head. "I don't even remember the last time I was in Williamsburg."

"All the more reason to accompany me," he offers his hand and she takes it, rising from the stool. As he walks to his room to change, he glances over his shoulder to find Blair following him down the hallway.

"Are you taking pity on me?" She asks, standing in the doorway to his room. "I know you have class today."

"I have a quiz today and I didn't have time to do the reading so I was planning on skipping anyway."

He strips his shirt off and notices Blair peeking at him through the gaps between her fingers. He smiles to himself and pulls on one of his plaid flannels, thinking that their outfits are starkly contrasted next to each other.

"You didn't have time to do the reading because you were up too late arguing with me."

Dan grabs his wallet and leads her out of the apartment, opening the stairwell door. Her nose scrunches immediately. She still has yet to understand how much faster the stairs are than the elevator.

"It's really not a big deal, Blair. I'm a senior who's only skipped two classes in my college career. I deserve a day off."

It's a good day to take off too, because the sun is shining and everyone is out and about enjoying the cool spring air. Blair shields her eyes from the sun and he hears her mumble something about sunglasses. He follows her with an eye roll, flagging down a cab.

They wander through the bookstore and Dan watches amusedly while Blair peruses every shelf with more care than necessary. She pulls out a copy of _The Sun Also Rises_ and examines it, eyes squinting.

"Don't bother," he grabs the book and slides it back into it's spot on the shelf. "You can borrow my copy."

"Then I'll have to read all of your pretentious musings scribbled in the margins."

Dan takes in the hand on her hip and chuckles, wondering how Nate could describe Blair's insults and belittling as "adorable". She follows him as he searches the shelves for the Dame Darcy illustrated copy of _Jane Eyre_ that he'd come for in the first place.

"Who would you have casted?" She asks, peering over his shoulder.

Dan furrows his brow and turns around, "For what?"

"Holly Golightly. You said Audrey was a poor choice."

He laughs, surprised that Blair even remembers that conversation. He runs a hand through his curls and smiles at her. "You actually want my opinion?"

Blair nods and he takes it as a cue to continue.

"Listen, don't get me wrong. Audrey Hepburn did a great job in the movie. She was definitely memorable," He gauges her reaction before going on, "She doesn't fit the character, Blair. Lulamae Barnes was written as a hick who uses older men to fuel her extravagant life and not to mention she was described as a blonde with bluish green eyes."

All he gets in response is a huff as Blair whips around to distract herself with another bookshelf. He could've guessed Blair wouldn't admit he's right easily.

"You shouldn't let it affect how you feel about the movie. All I'm saying is Audrey Hepburn exudes chic and sophistication and that's not who Holly was in the book."

Blair doesn't respond. She pulls out a second edition of _Sense and Sensibility,_ runs her thumb over the cover gently before saying, "I'm buying this," and turning her back on him. She doesn't bother acknowledging his points.

He practically has to chase her down the sidewalk before he finally finds himself walking next to her. The book swings in the bag she's holding and it smacks him in the back of the leg a few times. Never apologizes.

"Are you seriously mad at me for giving an opinion that you asked me to give? It's not even an opinion, Blair. Capote's first choice was Marilyn Monroe!" His voice rises and he catches himself, taking a deep breath. Blair finally stops and turns to face him. A few people swerve around them, blocking the middle of the sidewalk.

"You ruined my favorite movie, you do realize that."

Dan rolls his eyes, taking a step closer to her, "You're so dramatic. It's still the same movie. Movie adaptations make bad casting decisions all the time. Is Josh Hutchinson _really_ a believable Peeta?"

"I like consistency," she sighs, chest heaving. "You took the consistency out of _Tiffany's_. Now I won't be able to watch it without swapping out Audrey Hepburn for Barbara Stanwyck."

Dan watches the tension leave Blair's shoulders, and his do the same.

"I'm sorry," he says softly, a small laugh escaping him.

She has to shield her eyes from the sun while she stares up at him, her eyes squinting tightly. "It's okay. I'll get you back," she smiles, and he's relieved to find it's genuine.

xxxXXXxXXXXxxxx

They get back to the apartment and Nate suggests they grab dinner somewhere. Needless to say, their oven had gotten little use in the time they had lived there. Blair links her arm with Nate's as they wait for the elevator and Dan starts to resent his role of third wheel- although not enough to do anything about it. He chooses a small Italian restaurant down the street and Blair agrees immediately, going on and on about the eggplant parmesan she had during a brief stay in Rome. _And Dan is the pretentious one._

Blair stares at the wine list and Dan recommends the merlot, so of course she orders the cabernet. After a few sips, her lips are stained a deep burgundy, contrasting her gleaming white smile.

"I think Dan would like Serena," she mentions to Nate. The name catches Dan's attention, although he can't pinpoint why.

Nate seems to disagree, picks at his food distractedly. "Maybe."

"We should set them up when she comes to visit next."

"Do I get a say in this?" Dan asks, cracking a smile.

Blair shakes her head. "You don't."

"Not Serena," Nate sighs, "Maybe Penelope or Hazel."

Lips pursed in frustration, Blair lifts her wine glass, not yet bringing it to her lips. "Those insipid minions wouldn't be able to keep up with his cultural references."

Dan is suddenly flattered by her remark, that she would think carefully before throwing him together with one of her random high school followers. Serena's name clicks. He'd seen pictures of Blair's best friend and biggest competition.

"You're right," Nate says, and it's clear it's in an effort to drop the subject.

Dan decides not to pursue it any further.

"On Monday we have a meeting with Lisa to look at floral arrangements. Can you be at her building by noon?"

Nate polishes off his second beer and wraps an arm around her shoulders, "I'll be there."

When he excuses himself to the bathroom, Blair taps Dan's shin gently with her foot. He glances up at her, raising a brow.

"A new gallery just opened up in SoHo that I've been wanting to see if you wanted to join me on Saturday."

Dan smiles, tapping her shin back. "Why don't you just ask Nate?"

Blair seems dissatisfied with his answer, because she rolls her eyes and looks back down at her food. Her fork pushes it around, but no food actually enters her mouth.

"Fine, your invitation has been revoked."

Nate returns to the table before Dan can tell her he's changed his mind.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:**_ I am really not trying to write Nate like a dick in this story, because I love the lil guy, truly. But we need tension. We need spacey season one Nate who didn't appreciate all things Blair Waldorf. This was fun to write. Hope you enjoy!_

_xo Gia_

"Pleeeeease." Her doe eyes are all big and round and annoying as she tugs at his sleeve. He's sure any second her lips will form a pout. "I never ask you for anything."

"Yes you do," Dan laughs, organizing his bookcase. "You're always dragging me to galleries I don't care about or movies I have no desire to see."

Blair's eyes light up at that, lips curling into a smile. "You're a bad liar, Humphrey."

She had been begging him all morning to go to her appointment with a florist in Manhattan to pick flower arrangements for the wedding. Of course, this was supposed to be Nate's duty, but a last minute meeting with his grandfather had left Blair to fend for herself. Which Dan was learning she did not do well.

"Blair, I don't know anything about flowers. Or weddings. Can't one of your friends from high school go with you? I thought you were 'Queen B' or whatever."

Blair pushes a few strands of hair behind her ear, eyes on the floor. He watches her face visibly harden.

"Yes, well. It appears I can't rule outside the confines of Constance Billard. They don't take my commands anymore."

Dan's eyes widen, incredulous. "You don't command friends, Blair. They don't work for you."

"They did," she shrugs, and walks out of his room.

Dan rolls his eyes and follows her down the hallway. She has a way of making him do things for her that he's not sure he would do for his own girlfriend. His arm is sore from all the twisting. They bargain for a good fifteen minutes until finally deciding that he'll give her one hour at the florist if she buys him lunch at his favorite Thai restaurant in SoHo. Dan doesn't know why he tries to argue anymore, doesn't see the point.

xxxxx

"These are nice," he points out some deep purple orchids, but Blair ignores him, rambling about how she wants muted autumn colors. Dan has no idea what that means, so he stays silent about flowers for the remaining fifty eight minutes. The florist has already arranged a few sample bouquets for her, and after picking each of them apart, Blair puts together her own bouquet that seems to suit her taste. Some burgundies, lavender, gold leaf, a few lilies.

"The crimson really compliments your eyes," he says, without thinking, and Blair beams back at him.

"I know," she says, pleased.

She decides to wait to make any decisions about the reception arrangements without Nate, so they head to the restaurant. Blair tells him how handsome he could be if he would cut his hair.

"You look like a muppet."

Dan rolls his eyes and stares at the menu in front of him. She gently lowers his menu and smiles, eyes narrowing.

"Aside from the obvious reasons, why don't you have a girlfriend?"

He laughs, the obvious reasons are not quite as obvious to him. Dan hadn't really dated at all throughout college, or at all throughout his life. He had never had a relationship that lasted more than a month or two. It wasn't that he didn't want a relationship, but he wanted something _meaningful_, and those romantic connections seemed to be rare in college.

"Haven't found the right girl," he shrugs, lifting his menu back up to his face.

Blair lowers it again.

"I could set you up, you know."

Dan tilts his head, a grin on his lips. "Oh yeah? What's wrong with the girl?"

Blair breaks into a laugh and takes a sip from her Mai Tai. He doesn't see Blair laugh often. When Nate tells a joke, it's often a practiced little trill that doesn't sound anything like laughter. He revels in the moments that he hears her genuine laugh.

"There's _nothing_ wrong with her. She's my best friend actually," the words _best friend_ cause her to cringe slightly, "I've mentioned her before."

"Oh, right." He nods, "Serena."

He silently wonders why a leggy blonde goddess would have any interest in a hipster from Brooklyn. And yet, he would probably wonder the same thing about Blair, but here she is, sitting across the table from him.

"She's visiting from Brown this weekend. Should I set up a dinner?"

Dan smiles, taking a gulp of beer. "No, you should _not _set up a dinner. Just have her over to the apartment. It doesn't need to be a huge ordeal."

Blair seems to live for huge ordeals. It's actually a little sad to him how much purpose planning a wedding has given her life.

"Fine," she narrows her eyes at him, smiles.

Dan orders the pad see yew and Blair settles on the shrimp pad thai. She takes a few bites and freezes, fork still buried in noodles.

"Dan," her voice soft. It catches his attention, because he rarely hears her say his first name. "This is amazing."

He grins and spears a shrimp on her plate, bringing it up to his own mouth.

"Stick with me, Waldorf," he says, in between chews, "I can show you the world."

Blair's brows furrow. "Are you quoting Aladdin?"

xxxxx

When they get back to the apartment, Nate is watching basketball and drinking a beer on the couch- a sight that Dan has gotten accustomed to seeing every time he comes home during the week.

His face lights up when he sees them.

"Where have you two been?"

Blair grabs a stool at the counter and releases her hair from it's intricate braid. Dan kind of hates how pretty she is.

"Humphrey went with me to the appointment with our florist," her voice gives away her frustration with Nate's absence, "then we grabbed lunch. This small theatre in SoHo was playing _While You Were Sleeping_. Apparently Dan is hot for Sandra Bullock."

Dan rolls his eyes, "Thanks."

They both feign interest while Nate talks about his meeting with his grandfather and Dan throws together a pasta dish for dinner. At one point Blair and Nate leave the room and he can hear their hushed voices from his place in the kitchen. It sounds a lot like fighting, when you don't want anyone to know you're fighting.

So when they return and pretend that everything is fine and normal, Dan does the same. But he can still feel the tension lingering. The florist appointment was not the first nuptial decision Nate had blown off.

The thing that Dan had learned about Nate was that he always meant well, always had good intentions, but sometimes he could be an absolute bonehead without even realizing it.

"I told Serena to come over on Friday," Blair says, to break silence.

Dan could swear she was gauging Nate's reaction.

"Cool," is all he says, and goes back to watching the game.

Blair releases a tiny huff and moves to the kitchen to help Dan sauté asparagus. He welcomes the help, but he can see the rigid set of her shoulders, can hear the deep sigh that escapes her.

He would like to think this is not his problem, but it's starting to seem like Nate and Blair's problems are _becoming _his problems.


End file.
